As the investigation into the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol agent continues, former acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director John Torres told Newsmax that those carrying firearms must act with heightened caution in volatile situations like the unrest in Minnesota.
Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse and lawful gun owner, was killed Saturday while attempting to intervene during a federal immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis. Multiple outlets reported that video footage shows him holding a phone, not a weapon, with both hands visible at the time he was pinned by agents.
In a Monday appearance on Newsmax's "Wake Up America," Torres said investigators will closely examine all elements of the encounter, including behavior before and during the altercation.
"Obviously, the investigators who are going to review this shooting are going to look at the totality of the circumstances, including what was happening beforehand, what transpired while they were in a tussle, was he obeying commands?" he said.
Highlighting the responsibilities that accompany legal gun ownership, Torres noted that a permit to carry comes with specific training requirements.
"The fact that he does have a concealed carry permit actually comes with more responsibility, and that comes with a training that you have to take, that you're required to take, to have that type of concealed carry permit," he said.
In Torres' view, that training should influence how armed citizens behave — especially near law enforcement or in tense situations like the Minneapolis protest.
"So, in other words, you just don't go into a volatile situation like that without telling anyone you have a gun," he said.
It has not been independently confirmed whether Pretti told officers he was armed before the shooting.
Torres used his own experience to illustrate his point: if approached by officers while armed, he said he would keep "my hands clearly visible," avoid "any sudden or furtive movements," and "let them know well in advance that I was armed so that everyone could de-escalate that situation."
The debate over what happened to Pretti has inflamed tensions in Minneapolis and beyond, with protesters arguing video evidence shows him unarmed and attempting to help others before he was shot. Federal officials have maintained that he was armed and posed a threat, and a full investigation is ongoing.
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Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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